My tenant wants a dumpster - good or bad idea ?

Question

Hello BP Community,

One of my properties is a small multifamily with 1 general store on the 1st floor and 2 apartments above.

My commercial tenant (the general store) is asking permission to place a long term dumpster in the driveway in order to evacuate their trash.

How would you respond to such a request and what precautions should I take to avoid issues down the line ?

Thanks

Charles Carillo · Answer

@Bogdan Naescu

My concern would be placement. It needs to be easily accessed by the trash company (via truck) but, you also need to avoid overhead powerlines while not making it an eyesore. Some landlords will box out 3 sides of it with a fence or place bushes around where it will be placed. You have residential tenants who do not want to look at it, in addition to not having it take up their parking spots or their guest parking spots.

Matt Devincenzo · Answer

What do they do with trash now? That bears weight on how I might consider their request.

Amanda Janes · Answer

@Bogdan Naescu - Oy, if it’s a long term ask, that could be bad news bears for encouraging dumping.

Eliott Elias · Answer

Risks: others dumping trash in there, it causes injury, it gets stolen. Mitigate as many risks as possible with a contract and you should have no problem doing this.

Henry T. · Answer

Can the driveway withstand the truck? Make sure it's always locked so hobo's don't sleep in it, get compacted, or dumpster dive. Keep kids out. If its not locked the whole neighborhood will be using it.

Scott Mac · Answer

The trash trucks are huge and make a very loud wining, banging, beeping, diesel engine revving, sounds--sometimes before dawn.

Sometimes they leak smelly drippings from their loads, that someone will have to deal with cleaning up.

Sometimes they blow hydrolic lines and mess up the parking lot, and someone will have to deal with them (trying to) get them to clean that mess up.

Anything outside the dumpster does not get picked up.

The dumpster area should be sanitized from time to time if there is food waste or grease on the pavement (who will do that, and who will pay for it, and who will ensure it is being done as scheduled).

You may want to fence it off, the dumpster company may require an pre open fence gate, and may not close it upon leaving--someone will have to prepare the gate for pickup and secure it when done.

If you have a lot of Hobo's in the area begging, expect them to discover it's fenced area as a night time sleep spot and latrine area--do you have security to boot them, some one will have to do this (and clean up any physical mess left behind as a gift).

The route to the dumpster will have to handle the weight of the dumpster truck, or it will crumble the path over time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi9mk4ITC1Q

Good Luck!

Nathan Gesner · Answer

This sounds like they want it permanently? I would look at other stores in the area and see how they do it. I would also speak with the garbage company to see what they require/desire. Investigate to see if it's worth the effort. If it's going to work, make sure the Tenant pays for it and takes responsibility for it.

John Underwood · Answer

If this is just temporary then yes they can do it.

They shouldn't need one this big for day to day trash.

My tenant wants a dumpster - good or bad idea ?

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